Older people and benefits.

[wales01man]

Re: Older people and benefits.

I nave no problem with (Immigrants) or those claiming benefits as long as they are legally here and entitled I think someone posting on this thread does have totally agree with Jon and Amethyst

[righty]

Re: Older people and benefits.

A lady aged 65 is unable to walk more than a few metres with a walking frame. Her husband (66) can drive but as they are both on basic pension plus pension credit and council tax benefits that cannot afford to buy or run a car. They live in the village where they were born, 9 miles from the nearest town and there are now no buses.

They can only get to the shops on those few occasions when an elderly neighbour takes them so they mostly have to eat tinned and packet food and are substantially confined to their home. Social Services inform them that as they are aged over 60 they have no mobility rights at all and so no other benefits are available, but a nearby immigrant woman in her 40s who is disabled to a lesser degree and has a husband and daughter aged 9 has a free car and financial support to run it and much more in the way of benefits.

Surely there is something wrong about this or is it simply another case of British ageism and injustice? .

I don't know who they spoke to but that person is talking rubbish I was well past 60 before I received higher DLA making me eligible for a motability contract hire car

[enaid]

Re: Older people and benefits.

65 is the cut off for DLA as it states in post 6

[Wombats]

Re: Older people and benefits.

The link I posted in post 4 should show up any benefits to which this couple are entitled.

[geoffrey]

Re: Older people and benefits.

Rest assured that I am no bigot and I also work with immigrant people. I only mentioned that word immigrant as the lady concerned had just arrived in the UK and seemed to be entitled to many benefits while the older folk had worked all their life in England and were seemingly entitled to nothing. Maybe the word immigrant was inappropriate but I am not against immigration if fact we assist many immigrant children and help them to learn English language and culture so that they can hopefully get on better in life. We are very much against ALL forms of discrimination.

[righty]

Re: Older people and benefits.

65 is the cut off for DLA as it states in post 6

I assume your referring to new applications cos I'm well past that sell by date and still getting it

[enaid]

Re: Older people and benefits.

I assume your referring to new applications cos I'm well past that sell by date and still getting it

Yes lol new applicants

[geoffrey]

Re: Older people and benefits.

This story has come to an end in a partially unexpected way. The elderly couple whose grand-daughter contacted us has emailed me to say that Age Concern has visited them and informed them that as they are aged over 65 and can look after themselves in their home they have no mobility rights at all and therefore no benefit entitlement.

She also emailed me a press cutting about the other lady down the road. She appeared in court where she was found guilty of fraud in claiming £19.854 in benefits to which she was not entitled. It appeared that they had a substantial sum of money in a foreign bank with interest amounting to £1, 200 per month.

In sentencing, the magistrates said that this crime would normally attract a custodial sentence but 'as you are a recently arrived immigrant and a married woman we will impose a 100 hour community sentence and a small fine. (I imagine that StevemLS would regard the magistrates as triple bigots; for using the word 'immigrant', for gender discrimination 'as she was a woman' and for marital status discrimination 'as she is married'. This implied that if the person before them was an English single man he would have received a much more severe custodial sentence. Now that is what I consider unfair, not simply using the term immigrant as a simple statement of fact. We do not keep records of the nationality of the young people that we deal with or whether they are recent immigrants but I have just made a rough estimate and the number of immigrant young people we have assisted is well above the national average, so is that wrong or discrimination? When I asked a couple who had moved to Spain how they were getting on with their Spanish, they replied ' Most of us on the estate are English immigrants so we are OK'. Are they bigots? No, they are just passing a factual comment). .

[des8]

Re: Older people and benefits.

Thanks for letting us know.
However I am surprised at the Age Concern report.
Obviously I don't know the full circumstances,but whilst there might not be any mobility rights, I'd have thought from your description that it would be worthwhile at least making a claim for Attendance Allowance
In the disability tests for AA the term "needs" is used and this includes help needed outside your own home eg to do shopping or take part in social activities.
As she "is unable to walk more than a few metres with a walking frame" I would at least consider making a claim despite Age Concern's opinion.

[MissFM]

Re: Older people and benefits.

It appeared that they had a substantial sum of money in a foreign bank with interest amounting to £1, 200 per month.

It must have been a VERY substantial sum. Most of us are lucky to get between 0.5 and a massive (lol) 3% on our savings. Which bank was it, as a matter of interest?:27:

[Wombats]

Re: Older people and benefits.

This story has come to an end in a partially unexpected way. The elderly couple whose grand-daughter contacted us has emailed me to say that Age Concern has visited them and informed them that as they are aged over 65 and can look after themselves in their home they have no mobility rights at all and therefore no benefit entitlement.

She also emailed me a press cutting about the other lady down the road. She appeared in court where she was found guilty of fraud in claiming £19.854 in benefits to which she was not entitled. It appeared that they had a substantial sum of money in a foreign bank with interest amounting to £1, 200 per month.

In sentencing, the magistrates said that this crime would normally attract a custodial sentence but 'as you are a recently arrived immigrant and a married woman we will impose a 100 hour community sentence and a small fine. (I imagine that StevemLS would regard the magistrates as triple bigots; for using the word 'immigrant', for gender discrimination 'as she was a woman' and for marital status discrimination 'as she is married'. This implied that if the person before them was an English single man he would have received a much more severe custodial sentence. Now that is what I consider unfair, not simply using the term immigrant as a simple statement of fact. We do not keep records of the nationality of the young people that we deal with or whether they are recent immigrants but I have just made a rough estimate and the number of immigrant young people we have assisted is well above the national average, so is that wrong or discrimination? When I asked a couple who had moved to Spain how they were getting on with their Spanish, they replied ' Most of us on the estate are English immigrants so we are OK'. Are they bigots? No, they are just passing a factual comment). .

Ouch!

[geoffrey]

Re: Older people and benefits.

Sorry but I do not know which bank it was. All that I know about this latest episode was in the press report and they did not name the bank.

[basa48]

Re: Older people and benefits.

TBH I've never really understood why anyone who uses the word 'immigrant' is immediately branded a racist or bigot.

Racism is surely someone who discriminates on the grounds of race not merely uses it as a description of a persons status.
Similarly a 'bigot' is someone who dislikes others on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation etc. not someone simply using the term 'immigrant' accurately.

For my own part I do resent people who can rock up in the UK and claim public funding (in any of its guises) without first having paid into the system. I appreciate they may have paid into a similar system in their home country but very often the benefits here far exceed those of their home country. Secondly I do feel this country's population is getting to a point where it is unsustainable. Finally it may be true that immigrants pay more in taxes than they draw in benefits, but the real problems are not financial but the stress and strain on our infrastructure, housing, roads, NHS, schooling, crime etc.

OK should I expect to be banned for bigotry ! :ban:

[wales01man]

Re: Older people and benefits.

I can accept anyone claiming benefits immigrants or home born brits as long as they are entitled to claim.its not racist to use the word Immigrant or other words like thae word that was the name of Guy Gibson from dambusters dog its how you say it and what is inferred by your use of the word.